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Event Details

Youth Debate: You & the EU

9 May 2017

“Young people have the opportunity, through MEUSAC’s structures and services, to make the most of opportunities the EU brings with it.

“But what concerns me most is that generally people are not participating in the debate on the future of the EU, including youth, MEUSAC Head Dr Vanni Xuereb said during a debate on the future of youth in the EU held at the University to coincide with Europe Day.

He was speaking in the context that youth have a number of opportunities these days thanks to the EU but yet again, youth did not acknowledge this fact. He said that young people should be interested in, particularly, the negotiations surrounding the UK’s exit from the EU following the June 8 election.

Dr Xuereb questioned what kind of the EU we would have in 10 years’ time and whether we would have a looser union of Member States.

“We need to work harder in reaching out to young people and engage them in the future of the EU debate.

“A concrete way of participating is by participating in EU projects,” he said.

The issue of reaching out to people on EU issues was also brought up by a representative of JEF Malta which is made up of European Federalists whose aim is to have a more united Europe.

JEF Malta expressed their concern over the fact that not enough funds were reaching them so that they can, in turn, reach out to people, a common concern.

The issue of democracy and whether people can actually speak out freely and express their opinion without jeopardising their position was also brought up.

Dr Mark Harwood, Director of the Institute of European Studies, said that unfortunately, in Malta, we live in a bubble and that we tend to listen but we don’t ask enough questions. He expressed his concern over the fact that some people lack basic skills such as reading and writing and that this is to the detriment of the country since if we have a workforce that does not have the right skills, this would push away investment.

He also spoke about incoming French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to restart negotiations on a bolder European Monetary Union (EMU) leading to a fiscal union.

The debate was organised by MEUSAC, in collaboration with the KSU - Kunsill Studenti Universitarji, the ESO - European Studies Organisation, JEF Malta, KNŻ - Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-Żgħażagħ and the Institute for European Studies - University of Malta.